World Health Organisation

The vaccine, named Mosquirix, was given the green light on Friday after more than 30 years of research, detailed in 230,000 pages of data. It now means that the vaccine will be examined by the World Health Organisation and, if approved, could be administered to children across Africa within the next few years.

The vaccine is designed to prevent the parasite from infecting, maturing and multiplying in the liver, after which time the parasite would re-enter the bloodstream and infect red blood cells, leading to disease symptoms.

Two groups of children were tested: infants aged from six to 12 weeks, and young children aged five to 17 months.

Data from the trial programme demonstrate that over the first 18 months following three doses of RTS,S, malaria cases were reduced by almost half in the older group. With infants, cases dropped by 27 per cent.

Where does malaria kill the most people?

ZambiaMalawiSierra LeoneCameroonBurkina FasoUgandaAngolaNigeriaTanzaniaDemocratic Republic of CongoDeaths from malaria in 2013

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WHO – World Malaria Report 2014Sir Andrew Witty, CEO of GSK, said: “Today’s scientific opinion represents a further important step towards making available for young children the world’s first malaria vaccine.

“While RTS,S on its own is not the complete answer to malaria, its use alongside those interventions currently available such as bed nets and insecticides, would provide a very meaningful contribution to controlling the impact of malaria on children in those African communities that need it the most.”

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